SCHOOLS are “failing” children with additional support needs (ASN), a parent told John Swinney.

The Education Secretary said the experience reported by a woman named only as Marie was “totally unacceptable” and pledged to investigate the situation.

The pair spoke during an hour-long call-in session on BBC Radio Scotland yesterday.

Swinney agreed to appear on the show as pressure over primary one testing and teacher issues continued.

Marie said her daughter with ASN’s school experience was so bad she is now taught at home. This includes a lack of personal care support from a learning assistant.

The mother said her daughter’s twin sister had been instructed to help her to use the toilet in the absence of staff. She told the programme: “She had a learning assistant in place because she was diagnosed aged two, so before she even started nursery she had one-to-one support because she can’t get dressed herself, she can’t go to the toilet unaided.

“When there was no learning assistant about, her class teacher asked her twin to take her to the toilet and clean her.

“At 10 years old she was left with poo up her back and down her leg and both of them very upset.

“She was left in the changing room, the teacher never got her changed, her twin had to do that, then got in trouble for taking too long.”

Marie went on: “The list is endless of things that happened to her, and then she became a school refuser and would attack us daily at the thought of having to go.

“I just feel, I don’t what the hell is going on, but ASN children are really getting failed.”

Swinney said: “What you’ve recounted to me there is very clearly not acceptable.

“The needs of every child have got to be identified and met and I would want to make sure that’s the case for Marie’s child.”

The Deputy First Minister was speaking the day after the launch of a campaign to help parents withdraw their primary one children from national assessments.

The EIS teaching union has reported that some youngsters have been “distressed” by the multiple choice process.

Defending the policy, Swinney said “distressing” children over the tests is “completely at odds” with guidance for teachers.

Acknowledging a “mix of opinions” on the matter, he said: “There was a general consensus that there was an absence of data. There was a need for us to have a much clearer understanding of the progress that young people were making and the issues that had to be overcome to make sure they could fulfil their potential.”

Swinney added: “All the international evidence tells us if you don’t identify an issue in an individual at the earliest possible opportunity it will just get worse and worse.”